Indigoblu Blog Challenge 14 - Spring Blossoms

Hi everyone,

It's that time again, the blog challenge over at Indigoblu is fresh up, this month the theme is 'Spring Blossoms', and the design team have created some lovely zingy inspiration for you.  Why not come over and join us and show us your style.  All we ask is you use Indigoblu stamps and the rest is up to you.  Canvasses, cards, altered art, jewellery even, anything goes.

Here is my card for this months theme.

I used mustard seed, evergreen bough and picked raspberry distress inks, and then splashed with water to distress further.  I stamped the Best wishes, from Nottingham Lace, in picked raspberry, 2nd gen stamping.  The tulip was stamped and embossed twice, in a pearl white, and the same distress inks used to colour the panel.  The second tulip was cut out and layered over the first image.

A bright and zingy card for spring!

Now I'm sure you can show us some amazing spring cards, and lift your spirits at the same time, so pop over to the Blog Challenge and join us.

Best Wishes,

Nikki K

xx

Kay on Create & Craft tomorrow!

Hi everyone,

A quick note to say you can catch the wonderful Kay Halliwell-Sutton with her Indigoblu products on Create and Craft tomorrow, at 9am and 3pm.  With new stamps, products and demonstrations for you.

This is a sneak of a card I made, of one of the stamps that Kay will be showing tomorrow, More than Words.  Of course, if you pop across to Indigoblu now. .. you'll find this link leads you to this very stamp on the website!  I love this plate, I was laughing out loud when the DT received it, so funny.

Well I know that's teasing, but you will have to tune in to see more :)  The rest of the DT have done some amazing samples, to really inspire you.

I also just thought I'd mention that the March Indigoblu Blog Challenge - Going for Gold is on, so if you haven't entered, pop across and take a look and show us your work.  You never know, you could win some great stamps!  (And you get to choose, how cool is that?).  The other great news is that there is space still on the April Retreat, pop across HERE to book.  I can't tell you how cool the classes are, I've had a sneak peak at one and can't wait to do it myself next weekend!  The other's are a surprise even to me.

I'm off out now, for a girls night out, so I've taped the 9am show, as I might not quite make it!

Have fun,

Best Wishes,

Nikki
xx

New Craft Stamper Take it, Make it Monthly Challenge - March 2014

Morning everyone,

You might have seen that I shared some news on Facebook earlier in the week, that I had been asked to join a great new Design Team over at Craft Stamper magazine, for the Take it, Make it Challenge.

Today the challenge is open, and will be monthly from now on, with a fantastic team to inspire you each month.  I am in awe of the talent on the team, and can't believe I made it!

So this is my interpretation of the theme - Monoprinting.  We were asked to take an acrylic block, 'smoosh' it with paint, turn it on to a suitable substrate, and use the resulting prints we made in a card or artwork of our choice, and in any way.

I used some gold acrylic paint I had, and Indigoblu's Cottage paints in Winberry Pie and Grandma's Teacup.  I love these paints as they are so high in polymers they print brilliantly, and come out nice and smooth. The colours are pretty fab too!

As I had plenty of my printed background left, I decided to die cut lot's and lots of Tim Holtz Tattered Florals, and layer them with stamping.  I used 'Beautiful Mind', and the words from the 'Boadicea' stamp plates from Indigoblu.  The female phrenology head made a lovely base for her hair to be made of flowers.

I coloured some brad's with alcohol inks, to make the centre of the flowers.  The words were stamped on little pieces of leftover background, cut out and inked around the edges with stazon in Midnight blue, the same as the main piece.  I used M|idnight blue and Gothic purple to stamp the main image, words and chemistry signs on the flowers.

This is the finished piece, I love the subtle glow of the gold through the muted colours.

So come and join us in the Take it, Make it Craft Stamper Challenge, show us your Monoprints, remember it doesn't have to be a background, all we need is monoprinting somewhere on your artwork, and of course, rubber stamping.

Have fun!

Best Wishes,

Nikki K
xx